a 365 day trip through Matthew with a key thought, prayer, focus verse and contextual verses for each day
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Now, brothers and sisters, I want you to remember the Good News I brought to you. You received this Good News and continue strong in it.And you are being saved by it if you continue believing what I told you. If you do not, then you believed for nothing.I passed on to you what I received, of which this was most important: that Christ died for our sins, as the Scriptures say;that he was buried and was raised to life on the third day as the Scriptures say;and that he was seen by Peter and then by the twelve apostles.(NCV)
1 Cor. 15:1-3
When the Pharisees learned that the Sadducees could not argue with Jesus’ answers to them, the Pharisees met together.One Pharisee, who was an expert on the law of Moses, asked Jesus this question to test him:“Teacher, which command in the law is the most important?”Jesus answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’This is the first and most important command.And the second command is like the first: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’All the law and the writings of the prophets depend on these two commands.” (NCV)
Matt. 22:34-40
But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!(NIV)
Amos 5:24 |
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October 31
How Terrible! (4) - Matthew 23:23-24
“How terrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees! You are hypocrites! You give to God one-tenth of everything you earn—even your mint, dill, and cumin. But you don’t obey the really important teachings of the law—justice, mercy, and being loyal. These are the things you should do, as well as those other things. You guide the people, but you are blind! You are like a person who picks a fly out of a drink and then swallows a camel!
Full Text
Key Thought
In every age and in every movement of God's people, it seems that the biggest struggle we have always faced was the problem of "majoring in minors." It is so incredibly easy to get off track and find ourselves pursuing good minor pursuits at the exclusion of the the important ones.
Jesus does not criticize the religious leaders of his day for taking minute care of God's laws. What really irritates him and brings his condemnation upon them is that as they took minute care with small matters, they also completely abandoned the key matters, the core issues.
You see, discipleship has always been about character and concern: reflecting the character of our Lord and being concerned about the same things that concern him. Unfortunately, we find it easy to fight over these gnat issues and swallow the camel issues. Jesus reminds us what is central: justice, mercy, and faithfulness!
Today's Prayer
O Father, help me see what is most important and focus on it without neglecting those little issues that are easy for me to keep. Please use your Spirit to stir my heart and lead me to pursue the things that show your character and grace to others and bring glory to you. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Today's Verses with Jesus
(key verses in bold)
13 “How terrible for you, teachers of the law and
Pharisees! You are hypocrites! You close the door for people to
enter the kingdom of heaven. You yourselves don’t enter,
and you stop others who are trying to enter. 14-15 “How
terrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees! You are
hypocrites! You travel across land and sea to find one person
who will change to your ways. When you find that person, you
make him more fit for hell than you are.
16 “How terrible for you! You guide the people, but you
are blind. You say, ‘If people swear by the Temple when
they make a promise, that means nothing. But if they swear by
the gold that is in the Temple, they must keep that promise.’
17 You are blind fools! Which is greater: the gold or the Temple
that makes that gold holy? 18 And you say, ‘If people swear
by the altar when they make a promise, that means nothing. But
if they swear by the gift on the altar, they must keep that
promise.’ 19 You are blind! Which is greater: the gift or
the altar that makes the gift holy? 20 The person who swears by
the altar is really using the altar and also everything on the
altar. 21 And the person who swears by the Temple is really
using the Temple and also everything in the Temple. 22 The
person who swears by heaven is also using God’s throne and
the One who sits on that throne. Top
of Page
23 “How terrible for you,
teachers of the law and Pharisees! You are hypocrites! You give to
God one-tenth of everything you earn—even your mint, dill,
and cumin. But you don’t obey the really important teachings
of the law—justice, mercy, and being loyal. These are the
things you should do, as well as those other things. 24 You guide
the people, but you are blind! You are like a person who picks a
fly out of a drink and then swallows a camel!
25 “How terrible for you, teachers of the law and
Pharisees! You are hypocrites! You wash the outside of your cups
and dishes, but inside they are full of things you got by
cheating others and by pleasing only yourselves. 26 Pharisees,
you are blind! First make the inside of the cup clean, and then
the outside of the cup can be truly clean.
27 “How terrible for you, teachers of the law and
Pharisees! You are hypocrites! You are like tombs that are
painted white. Outside, those tombs look fine, but inside, they
are full of the bones of dead people and all kinds of unclean
things. 28 It is the same with you. People look at you and think
you are good, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and
evil.
29 “How terrible for you, teachers of the law and
Pharisees! You are hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets,
and you show honor to the graves of those who lived good lives.
30 You say, ‘If we had lived during the time of our
ancestors, we would not have helped them kill the prophets.’
31 But you give proof that you are children of those who
murdered the prophets. 32 And you will complete the sin that
your ancestors started.
(NCV) The New Century Version, (Dallas, Texas:
Word Publishing) 1987, 1988, 1991.
Used by permission.
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